The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms has filed a constitutional challenge against the city of Waterloo, Quebec, alleging it violated religious freedoms by ticketing a volunteer from the religious charity Groupe Jaspe for going door-to-door to discuss suicide prevention without a permit. The Justice Centre filed the challenge on Wednesday, serving both the Attorney Generals of Quebec and Canada.Groupe Jaspe, founded in 1999 by Claude Tremblay after the suicide of his son, aims to connect with individuals in need, particularly those struggling with suicidal thoughts. Through volunteer outreach, the group has visited 50 cities and 771 villages across Quebec, bringing messages of support and life affirmation to thousands. In 2015, a court ruling declared a similar ticket issued to Tremblay unenforceable, citing freedom of religion protected under the 2003 Quebec Court of Appeal decision Blainville (Ville) c. Beauchemin. This decision upheld that religious groups, like Jehovah’s Witnesses, could engage in door-to-door outreach without a solicitation permit, viewing it as a protected form of community service.However, a recent ticket issued in Waterloo marks the first time a city has cited the Loi sur la Laïcité de l’État — Quebec’s secularism law — as justification for restricting such religious activities. Passed in 2019, the law emphasizes state neutrality regarding religion but has been contentious, particularly for its ban on civil servants wearing religious symbols. Waterloo’s prosecutor argues that the secularism law and its related case law now permit enforcement against religious canvassing without a permit.Oliver Séguin, legal counsel for Groupe Jaspe, voiced concerns about the precedent this case could set, stating, “If the court were to rule in its favour, it would seriously infringe the religious freedoms of all Quebecers.” The trial is set for November 18 at the City of Waterloo Courthouse.
